


Another Second Chance

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Episode: s05e04, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 19:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4405196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cochise has a confession in light of his newly extended lifespan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Second Chance

“You’re going to be okay now, right?” Tom asks, looking up at Cochise.  His hand hovers over the incision site.  “You’ll keep living.”

“Yes, I will live for a long time,” Cochise says.  “Your doctor did admirable work.”

“She’s incredible.  Is there anything else I should know about?” Tom says.

“Like what?” Cochise asks.

Tom closes his eyes and sighs before opening his eyes again.  “Can I talk to you privately?”

“Of course,” Cochise says, inclining his head. 

Tom carefully grabs his elbow and pulls him towards his room.  Maybe his bedroom isn’t the best place for this conversation, but he needs somewhere where he knows that they won’t be disturbed. 

He locks the door behind them and turns to face Cochise, breathing heavily as he presses his back against the door.  The light is filtering in through the dingy windows.  Everything feels kind of hazy.

Cochise stands just a few feet away from him.

“You told us this morning that you were going to die,” Tom says.  “How could you not say something before now?”

“I have considered informing you before now, but…” Cochise refuses to look at him.

“But what?” Tom asks.

“I did not know how to inform you.  There are many things that I did not know how to inform you of,” Cochise says.  “I knew it would cause you distress and distract you from your cause.”

Tom presses his lips together and stares at the space above Cochise’s head.  “It was terrifying, Cochise.  You were going to be dead by now.”  Another casualty, the most painful one in a long, long time. 

“Yes, I was,” Cochise says.  “I should be dead.”

“No, no you shouldn't,” Tom says, blinking hard.  “It was hard to breathe when I thought you were going to die.  Even when I was on the mission, it was still hard to breathe.  I couldn’t help but think about you, wondering if you were going to get your kidney or if I’d come back to find out that you were dead.”  The thought is still nauseating. 

Cochise takes a few steps forward and presses his ear against Tom’s chest.  “Has your respiration returned to normal?”

Tom laughs a little despite how shaky he feels, resting a hand on Cochise's head and stroking gently.  “Yeah, I'm okay now that you're okay.”

“You truly care for me that deeply?” Cochise asks, eyes widening as he stands upright again, now just inches from Tom.

“I do,” Tom says.  “I really care about you.”

Even though nothing had ever come from his affection for Cochise, it had broken him and Anne up years ago.  Still being in love with your dead wife is one thing, especially in the middle of the war, but Tom had felt terrible when he realized that he was falling for someone else alive and in front of him.  It hadn’t been right to stay with Anne under the circumstances.

Cochise touches his shoulder gently, sending a bolt of energy through him.

“I also care so greatly for you.  In ways that I have never cared for anyone before,” Cochise says softly.  “I have wished to inform you for a long time, but I did not believe it would be wise.”

“Why not?” Tom asks. 

“I knew that I would die most likely before our battle here finished,” Cochise says.  “If you returned my emotions, my inevitable death would hurt you further.  You still mourn the loss of your broodmate, and I care for you too much to willingly add to your pain.  It seemed as if the greatest way to care for you was to not inform you of my emotions for you.”

“Cochise, you should have talked to me about this.  God, you should have talked to me about this years ago,” Tom says, stepping forward. 

“I did not want to cause you sadness when I died,” Cochise says.

Tom bites his lip and rests his hand on Cochise’s face.  “I was always going to be so sad when this happened, Cochise.  There was nothing you could have done to prevent that.  Except not be you.”

“I am sorry.  I have often felt the most like myself when I am with you,” Cochise says.

“That’s so sweet,” Tom says, “but what I meant was that even if you never said anything, I was always going to care about you.  I was always going to be devastated over losing you.”

“I am sorry.  I do not know how to navigate human style relationships,” Cochise says, “and so I believed my course of action would be easier for you.  I was wrong.”

“I love you,” Tom finally says, thumb stroking against Cochise’s skin.  “For years, I’ve loved you.  I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t think Volm did that.”

“You are correct; we do not.  However, you and your people have taught me about love, and I am certain that I love you as well,” Cochise says.  He is smiling at Tom and it makes Tom feel so warm inside. 

Tom leans up and kisses Cochise, finally feeling the way that Cochise’s lips feel against his.  He cups Cochise’s face so he can kiss him deeply, the way he should have been kissing him for years.  They could have been doing this for _years_.

Cochise’s hands rest at his waist, fingers spread as if he’s trying to touch as much of him as possible.  His hands are still so gentle, though, even as he pushes him back against the door.

“That was…” Cochise breathes out softly.  “I have never done that before.”

“Did you like it?” Tom asks, looking up at him.  “If you didn’t, that’s okay.”

“I found that immensely pleasurable,” Cochise says.  “I enjoy being so close to you.”

“I’m glad,” Tom says, sliding his hands down to Cochise’s shoulders.  He squeezes gently.  “Are there any Volm signs of affection I should know about?  I want to make sure you feel cared for.”

“If two Volm do form a close bond, the only real indicator is slight physical contact,” Cochise says, suddenly seeming uncomfortable.  “You have already been more physical with me than any Volm mate would be, apart from attempts at procreation.”

“Oh god, I haven’t made you uncomfortable, have I?” Tom says.  He’d back up to give Cochise space but Cochise already has him pressed him against the door.

“You have not.  Truthfully, I treasured them.  I knew that your touches did not hold the same significance for you as they did for me, but they still filled me with comfort,” Cochise says.  

Tom wraps his arms around Cochise, resting his head on Cochise’s shoulder and holding him as tight as he can.  He feels Cochise’s heart beating against him, feels Cochise’s arms hugging him back.

Cochise is here and alive.  He’s going to be okay.

“Now you know it holds the same significance for me, too,” Tom murmurs.

“I am glad,” Cochise says.

“I love you,” Tom says and he repeats it a few more times because he hasn’t said it enough. 

“I love you as well,” Cochise says.  He pulls away and begins pulling Tom towards bed.

“You wanna jump right to having sex?” Tom asks.  He’s surprised, but not altogether opposed.  It just seems like there’s some anatomical matters they should discuss first. 

“I do not, but I have witnessed many human couples engage in an activity that I wish to engage in with you.  I am uncertain of the word for it,” Cochise says.

“Okay,” Tom says.  “Anything you want.”  He is so beyond happy right now that he’d fly right back up to the moon if Cochise wanted moon rocks.

Cochise removes his jacket tenderly and pushes Tom back onto the bed. 

The bed sags a little under Tom’s weight and Cochise kneels in front of him before removing his boots.  Tom starts to wonder if Cochise has picked up a foot fetish as well as an understanding of what love is from Earth.  He really hopes that the two aren’t tightly intertwined for Cochise.

“Please, lay down,” Cochise says.

Tom does so, stretching out and wiggling his toes.  “You’re not going to leave me here alone, right?”

“I am not,” Cochise says.  He sheds the outer layer of his clothes, revealing the armor underneath.  Cochise removes that too.

Tom sneaks a peek and is surprised when he doesn’t see any trace of an incision, not even a scar.  “Are you sure you’re comfortable fully naked?”

“I am, unless you are not,” Cochise says.

Tom shimmies out of his shirt and pants, leaving his underwear on.  “I’m good now.”

“You have hair on your body, too!” Cochise says, sounding delighted.

“Yep,” Tom says, smiling at him.

Cochise lays next to him.  It’s a tight fit so Tom turns on his side, facing his… whatever Cochise is.  His boyfriend?  His lover?  His Cochise?

“Humans sleep so much, and I have noticed how often they do so in pairs.  I do not need to sleep, but I wish to be close to you like this.  I have thought about this a lot,” Cochise says quietly.  He runs his fingers from Tom’s head down to his beard in a soothing rhythm.

“I’ve thought about cuddling with you, too,” Tom says softly.  He’s missed being so close with someone like this.  “I want to make sure that everything is clear.  Human relationships can be messy and it’s probably only messier when an alien is involved.  But I’m all in, Cochise.  I want to be with you so badly.  You’re the only person for me, and our time together could be too short to pretend otherwise.”

“You are the sole person I wish to be with as well,” Cochise says.  “If there is a human bonding ritual, I would be glad to participate in it to demonstrate the strength of my love for you.”

“Did you just propose to me?” Tom asks, laughing.  “Did you ask me to marry you?”

“If you would like to,” Cochise asks. 

“You have to know that I’m always going to love Rebecca.  That doesn’t mean I love you any less- I love you so much that it’s crazy that I haven’t said so before now.  But knowing that I love someone else too is something that I know could make some people unhappy,” Tom says. 

“I would never ask you to diminish your love for your deceased broodmate.  She is the mother of your offspring.  I have learned much of love since I came to your planet, and I have learned that love is not a finite resource,” Cochise says.  His hand rests on Tom’s cheek.  “You are full of love, and I am glad to be loved by you.”

“Thank you,” Tom murmurs.  He leans forward and kisses Cochise again.  This is so fast, but it’s so right.  He wants to be here with Cochise.  He wants to have Cochise in his life for the rest of his life.  “Then we should get married.”

“I am glad that humans have a formal means to express their affection and desire to bond with each other,” Cochise says.  “Volm do not.”

“Uh, usually people write vows to express what they feel and what kind of promises they want to make to each other.  If you don’t want to, that’s okay.  There are standard vows,” Tom says. 

“I do not want standard human vows,” Cochise says.

“I didn’t think so,” Tom says.  He buries his face in Cochise’s chest.  “I love you.”

“I look forward to our formal human bonding ritual,” Cochise says.  He goes back to stroking his hair.  “Now, rest.”

Tom sleeps deeply for the first time in ages.


End file.
